please tell me about base64 algorithm

[sam_dev]

hi every body.......
here i want to ask something about base64 algorithm which is used for the encryption of passwords.........i just want to know that how it works ?????what are the functions used in this algorithm?????any type help.....any link...????

[Adak]

hi every body.......
here i want to ask something about base64 algorithm which is used for the encryption of passwords.........i just want to know that how it works ?????what are the functions used in this algorithm?????any type help.....any link...????

I'm not sure which cryptographic algorithms use base64, but here's some good reads on it:

1) Cryptology portal on Wikipedia - many pages covering old and new methods.

2) Google "nist encryption standard", for a thorough discussion of their selection of the new(er) advanced encryption standard for the USA. Lots of technical details!

If what you want is ONLY base64 info, then I'd google it, directly, and see what it has.

[Salem]

> base64 algorithm which is used for the encryption of passwords
No it isn't.
Base64 is just about turning the unprintable into the printable. The data from any 3 random bytes is converted into 4 printable characters.

Reversing this (back to 3 bytes) is easy.
Then the real challenge begins.

[jephthah]

8-bit ASCII characters include a lot of non-printable and extended characters that are difficult to transmit properly between certain applications.

"Base64" is just a conversion method that changes a string of ASCII (printable and unprintable) codes into 64 different "clean" (printable) characters... (Note: since ASCII value range from 0-255, in this context it could be considered as "Base256".)

to reduce an ASCII string down to 64 printable characters, a string of 8-bit ASCII characters are converted to a string of 6-bit Base64 characters. the 64 characters used are typically [A-Za-z+/].

every three (3) 8-bit ASCII characters convert to four (4) 6-bit Base64 characters (3 chars x 8 bits = 4 chars x 6 bits). to ensure the converted string length is a multiple of 4 characters, one or two equal signs '=' may be used to pad the end of the last quartet if needed.

the "encryption" you're thinking about is that OpenPGP encryption uses a form of Base64 for transmission called "Radix-64" -- also commonly referred to as "ASCII-armored" text -- which includes a CRC checksum to ensure transmission didnt mangle any data.

But Base64 is not an encryption, any more than ASCII codes are "encrypted". It's just a conversion used as part of the transmission protocol for applications including some encryption processes.

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